The Georgia caregiver program
Georgia pays family members to care for a relative at home through Structured Family Caregiving (SFC). Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Georgia at a glance
- Programs
- 4
- Reported pay
- $1,987–$2,400/month
- Spouse paid?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Long
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Georgia?
Who do you care for?
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
Georgia programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Georgia it runs through:
- Structured Family Caregiving (SFC)
- CCSP / SOURCE
- NOW & COMP Waivers
- GAPP (children)
How it works: SFC requires a live-in caregiver enrolled through a licensed SFC provider agency (agency provides oversight + pays stipend); NOW/COMP self-direction uses a fiscal intermediary; GAPP goes through a home care agency. The programs are administered by GA Dept. of Community Health (Medicaid) with DHS Division of Aging Services running CCSP/SOURCE via Area Agencies on Aging (1-866-552-4464); DBHDD for NOW/COMP.
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Georgia?
Georgia has no IHSS or CDPAP. Its main family option is Structured Family Caregiving, which pays a daily stipend to a caregiver who lives with the member, alongside self-directed options in CCSP and SOURCE.
Whatever the name, the model is the same one people mean by consumer-directed care: the person who needs help chooses their caregiver, and that caregiver can be family. See how CDPAP and IHSS work if a relative in New York or California described theirs to you.
What Georgia pays family caregivers
$1,987–$2,400/month
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Georgia Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Georgia
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Sometimes
- limited — no under SFC and CCSP/SOURCE consumer direction; reported allowed under NOW/COMP live-in family caregiver participant-direction
- Parent of a minor child Sometimes
- limited — no under SFC/CCSP (parents of minors barred); yes under GAPP family caregiver option for medically fragile children under 21 (personal care only, not skilled nursing, prior authorization required)
How much does Georgia pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Georgia is around $1,987–$2,400/month. SFC daily stipend reported ~$80/day in 2026 (~$1,987–$2,400/month by acuity tier), paid weekly, generally tax-free; NOW/COMP hourly rates per DBHDD fee schedule. Some of this pay can be tax-free under the IRS difficulty-of-care rule when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Your hours come from your relative's needs assessment, not from how many hours you actually work — which is why preparing for that assessment matters more than anything else. The detail is on the Georgia caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Georgia?
Waitlists can be long. CCSP is slot-capped and can waitlist; SOURCE (SSI-linked) generally no waitlist; NOW/COMP have a multi-year DBHDD planning list with crisis exceptions. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Georgia pays family instead of an agency
1.8 million people in Georgia — 16% of the state — are 65 or older, across 159 counties. There are not enough agency home care workers for all of them, and care at home costs Medicaid far less than a nursing home. So the state pays the person already doing the work: you. If you would rather hire help, see what in-home care costs and home care agencies that hire family members.
How to become a paid caregiver for a family member in Georgia
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Georgia program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Georgia confirms Medicaid eligibility and assesses how much help your relative needs. Those hours become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enroll and name you
Your relative enrolls in Structured Family Caregiving (SFC) and names you as their caregiver. Background check and payroll forms follow.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
Where to apply: For seniors: call the Area Agency on Aging / ADRC at 866-552-4464 for CCSP or SOURCE screening, then choose an SFC provider agency; for I/DD, apply to NOW/COMP via the DBHDD regional field office; Medicaid application is filed separately with DFCS.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Georgia caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Georgia called?
In Georgia, family caregivers are paid through Structured Family Caregiving (SFC), CCSP / SOURCE, NOW & COMP Waivers, GAPP (children). Georgia has no IHSS or CDPAP. Its main family option is Structured Family Caregiving, which pays a daily stipend to a caregiver who lives with the member, alongside self-directed options in CCSP and SOURCE.
Does Georgia have CDPAP or IHSS?
Georgia has no IHSS or CDPAP. Its main family option is Structured Family Caregiving, which pays a daily stipend to a caregiver who lives with the member, alongside self-directed options in CCSP and SOURCE.
How much does Georgia pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $1,987–$2,400/month. SFC daily stipend reported ~$80/day in 2026 (~$1,987–$2,400/month by acuity tier), paid weekly, generally tax-free; NOW/COMP hourly rates per DBHDD fee schedule.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Georgia?
limited — no under SFC and CCSP/SOURCE consumer direction; reported allowed under NOW/COMP live-in family caregiver participant-direction
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Georgia?
limited — no under SFC/CCSP (parents of minors barred); yes under GAPP family caregiver option for medically fragile children under 21 (personal care only, not skilled nursing, prior authorization required)
Is there a waitlist for the Georgia caregiver program?
CCSP is slot-capped and can waitlist; SOURCE (SSI-linked) generally no waitlist; NOW/COMP have a multi-year DBHDD planning list with crisis exceptions
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Georgia?
For seniors: call the Area Agency on Aging / ADRC at 866-552-4464 for CCSP or SOURCE screening, then choose an SFC provider agency; for I/DD, apply to NOW/COMP via the DBHDD regional field office; Medicaid application is filed separately with DFCS.
Who runs the Georgia Medicaid caregiver program?
GA Dept. of Community Health (Medicaid) with DHS Division of Aging Services running CCSP/SOURCE via Area Agencies on Aging (1-866-552-4464); DBHDD for NOW/COMP.
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · dbhdd.georgia.gov · kidswaivers.org · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Georgia caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Georgia — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Georgia
Each state writes its own rules, and they differ more than people expect — a spouse who can be paid on one side of the line often cannot be on the other.